November

With dismay, I read the 2005 Annual Report of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC regarding the Preliminary Review Committee.

They have seen fit to publish the name of an MD who was alleged to have had sexual misconduct with a female patient, and they further noted that this MD had died in 2004 (page 30).

I fail to see what benefit there is in publishing his name, other than to cause extreme discomfort to his surviving spouse and children.

Is it the intention of the College to pursue allegations beyond the grave?

“ The best things in life are free; but you can keep them for the birds and bees, now give me money; that’s what I want.” —John Lennon

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a syndrome with cognitive, functional, and behavioral aspects that significantly affect patients, family members and professional caregivers over the long term. Home care is often followed by nursing home placement. The BCMA discussion paper, “Building Bridges: A Call for a Coordinated Dementia Strategy,” takes a comprehensive look at how we can improve care for people with dementia in BC and provides a systematic overview with important recommendations.

A recently posted entry on DocLounge (an e-mail discussion group) made mention of the BC Medical Journal and the members of its Editorial Board. The comments unfortunately were quite inappropriate, misleading, and incorrect. As the e-mail discussion group is an open communication vehicle, I felt it appropriate to respond to the comment in an equally open communication vehicle, here, in the pages of the BCMJ.

Lasers used to treat skin lesions, for skin resurfacing, and for hair removal emit an invisible beam that can be an instantaneous hazard to exposed eyes and skin. Such high-power lasers are finding application not only in major clinical facilities but in beauty salons and other personal care facilities. On-site visits by BCCDC’s Radiation Protection Services (RPS) to several facilities in BC found that some employees working with such lasers did not understand the magnitude of the eye hazard presented by invisible laser radiation or the significance of proper use of protective eyewear.

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